2011:078 - ROYAL GUNPOWDER MILLS, BALLINCOLLIG, Cork

The gunpowder mills were established at the end of the 18th century. They occupy a total of 52.6ha (130 acres) along the southern bank of the River Lee. This site ranks as the second-largest industrial archaeological site in Europe. The 18th- and 19th-century gunpowder manufacturing process was a long and complicated one, and the Ballincollig site has the remains of approximately 67 buildings and structures associated with this process. A management plan for the Royal Gunpowder Mills was established in 2008 by the Cork County archaeologist. A number of buildings have been conserved and signage has been erected. A large-scale ‘history in the schools’ programme has also been initiated.

Another aspect of the plan was a drainage scheme in the car park at the western end of the gunpowder mills/regional park, near Iniscarra bridge. This scheme took place during two phases, one in 2009 and the second in 2010. Phase 2 was the final phase of flood prevention in the car park. In 2010 Phase 2 consisted of the installation of piping and soak-ways, in the north and east of the existing car park, and its connection to an existing gulley, and subsequent reinstatement. This area had been backfilled, probably in modern times. No archaeological stratigraphy was evident.

31 The Cloisters, Carrigrohane, Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Editor’s note: This summary arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin for 2010